The Madhes Democratic Front(MDF) and newly formed MPRF (Republican) have already supported NC´s stance on the peace process, along with its 10-point demands. In the bilateral meetings held Tuesday afternoon, the NC and the UML also agreed to form a common stance on the peace process.
There were, however, minor differences between the two parties on some technical issues. [break]
While the NC wants hand over of the Maoist weapons before May 28, the UML stated that the task can be completed within a week after an agreement with the Maoists on CA term extension.
“We have more or less a similar stance. We thought the parties would reach an agreement on May 22 or 23. Hence, we decided that the Maoists should handover their weapons within a week of the agreement. These are only technical matters,” said UML leader Pradip Gyawali.
The NC has argued that if the Maoists are not forced to hand over their weapons at this juncture, the former rebels would continue to linger the integration process and use the issue to increase their stakes in the national politics.
Another difference is that the UML has fully supported the modality for integration floated by the Nepal Army (NA), but the NC has yet to make its view on the issue public.
NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi, who participated in the meeting, stated the two parties hold more or less a similar stance on the CA term extension. He said there were three major agendas on the table: peace process, constitution drafting and power sharing.
“Handing over of the Maoist weapons to the state could be done in a single day using helicopters and planes. It must be completed before May 28, else we won´t support CA term extension,” said Nidhi.
Nidhi argued that the handing over of the weapons to the state doesn´t amount to surrender as some Maoists have claimed. “They are in the government and the home minister is a Maoist. They can either hand over the weapons to the home minister or to the defense minister,” he said.
According to Nidhi, the Maoists must complete some important tasks before May 28: 1) Bring down the number of the cantonments from the existing 28 to seven or eight; 2) Collect the weapons and bring them under the Special Committee; 3) end the dual security system; and 4) pave the way for formation of a national consensus government by making the prime minister resign.
Senior NC leaders including Sushil Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML leaders Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Oli were present at the meeting.
The major Madhes-based parties, except the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) led by Upendra Yadav, have already thrown their lot behind the NC´s demand. The splinter party from the MPRF, the one led by Jaya Prakash Gupta, has also backed the NC demand.
NC and Maoists form taskforce
Before holding a meeting with the UML, the NC had held talks with the Maoists over the CA term extension.
“If the Maoists have the will, the weapons can be handed over to the state in a single day, which will form the practical basis for the CA term extension,” said NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
But the Maoists stated that they cannot hand over the weapons to the state outright. “The past agreements state that the handing over of the weapons should go alongside other tasks of integration,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha.
The parties, however, formed a four-member taskforce to settle the integration issue. The taskforce comprises Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Barshaman Pun and NC leaders Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Dr Minendra Rijal.
Trilateral meeting at Gokarna Wednesday
The political parties have agreed to hold a three-party meeting at Gokarna Forest Gulf Resort at 11 pm Wednesday. Before the trilateral meeting, the UML and the Maoists are scheduled to hold a meeting at 9 pm at the resort.
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